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Curiosities of Street Literature

by VARIOUS ( - )

4.21 The Execution of Priscilla Biggadike and Frederick Baker

This is a collection of broadsides from London. Broadsides are short, popular publications, a precursor to today's tabloid journalism. The collection contains sensationalist and sometimes comical stories about criminal conduct, love, the Royal Family, politics, as well as gallows' literature. Gallow's literature (confessions, verses etc. relating to individuals condemned to public execution) were often sold at the execution. As a collection these broadsides are a reminder of how important the printer was at this time -- it is surely no coincidence that the printers are printed at the end of every broadside, while the authors remain anonymous. - Summary by kathrinee

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Listen next episodes of Curiosities of Street Literature:
4.22 Executions at Durham, Confessions and Executions of Samuel Wright and James Clitheroe , 4.23 Two Murders on the Railway , 4.24 The Chase, Capture and Execution of Franz Muller , 4.25 Lamentation and Execution of James Longhurst and Miles Weatherhill , 4.26 Sentence of Constance Kent and Confession and Executions of Stephen Forward , 4.27 Execution of Pirates, Leigh and the Murder of a Child by a Schoolmistress , 4.28 Farewell to the World of Richard Bishop and Lamentations of J. Mapp and H. Lingley , 4.29 Executions of Alice Holt and the Murder of a Boy by his own Father , 4.30 Lamentations of J. R. Jeffery, John Fletcher, Ann Lawrence , 4.31 Executions of Michael Barrett, Allen, Gould, Larkin, and William Sheward , 4.32 Executions of John Devine, Martin Brown, and Alexander Mackay , 4.33 Murder of a Wife and Six Children and Executions of F. Hinson and J. Rutterford , 4.34 The Heroes of the Guillotine and Gallows